1.01Baseball is a game between two teams of nine players each, under
direction of a manager, played on an enclosed field in accordance with
these rules, under jurisdiction of one or more umpires.

1.02The objective of each team is to win by scoring more runs than the opponent.

1.03The winner of the game shall be that team which shall have scored, in accordance with these rules, the greater number of runs at the conclusion of a regulation game.

1.04THE PLAYING FIELD. The field shall be laid out according to the
instructions below, supplemented by Diagrams No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 on
adjoining pages.
The infield shall be a 90-foot square. The outfield shall be the area
between two foul lines formed by extending two sides of the square, as in
Diagram 1. The distance from home base to the nearest fence, stand or
other obstruction on fair territory shall be 250 feet or more. A distance of
320 feet or more along the foul lines, and 400 feet or more to center field
is preferable. The infield shall be graded so that the base lines and home
plate are level. The pitcher's plate shall be 10 inches above the level of
home plate. The degree of slope from a point 6 inches in front of the pitcher's
plate to a point 6 feet toward home plate shall be 1 inch to 1 foot, and
such degree of slope shall be uniform. The infield and outfield, including
the boundary lines, are fair territory and all other area is foul territory.
It is desirable that the line from home base through the pitchers plate to
second base shall run East-Northeast.
It is recommended that the distance from home base to the backstop,
and from the base lines to the nearest fence, stand or other obstruction on
foul territory shall be 60 feet or more. See Diagram 1.
When location of home base is determined, with a steel tape measure
127 feet, 338 inches in desired direction to establish second base. From
home base, measure 90 feet toward first base; from second base, measure
90 feet toward first base; the intersection of these lines establishes first
base. From home base, measure 90 feet toward third base; from second
base, measure 90 feet toward third base; the intersection of these lines
establishes third base. The distance between first base and third base is
127 feet, 338 inches. All measurements from home base shall be taken from
the point where the first and third base lines intersect.
The catcher's box, the batters' boxes, the coaches' boxes, the three-foot
first base lines and the next batter's boxes shall be laid out as shown in
Diagrams 1 and 2.
The foul lines and all other playing lines indicated in the diagrams by
solid black lines shall be marked with wet, unslaked lime, chalk or other
white material.
The grass lines and dimensions shown on the diagrams are those used
in many fields, but they are not mandatory and each club shall determine
the size and shape of the grassed and bare areas of its playing field.
NOTE (a) Any Playing Field constructed by a professional club
after June 1, 1958, shall provide a minimum distance of 325 feet from
home base to the nearest fence, stand or other obstruction on the
right and left field foul lines, and a minimum distance of 400 feet to
the center field fence.
(b) No existing playing field shall be remodeled after June 1,
1958, in such manner as to reduce the distance from home base to
the foul poles and to the center field fence below the minimum specified
in paragraph (a) above.

DIAGRAM 2 -

DIAGRAM 3 -

1.05Home base shall be marked by a five-sided slab of whitened rubber.
It shall be a 17-inch square with two of the corners removed so that one
edge is 17 inches long, two adjacent sides are 81/2 inches and the remaining
two sides are 12 inches and set at an angle to make a point. It shall be
set in the ground with the point at the intersection of the lines extending
from home base to first base and to third base; with the 17-inch edge facing
the pitchers plate, and the two 12-inch edges coinciding with the first
and third base lines. The top edges of home base shall be beveled and the
base shall be fixed in the ground level with the ground surface. (See drawing
D in Diagram 2.)

1.06First, second and third bases shall be marked by white canvas bags,
securely attached to the ground as indicated in Diagram 2. The first and
third base bags shall be entirely within the infield. The second base bag
shall be centered on second base. The bags shall be 15 inches square, not
less than three nor more than five inches thick, and filled with soft material.

1.07The pitchers plate shall be a rectangular slab of whitened rubber, 24
inches by 6 inches. It shall be set in the ground as shown in Diagrams 1
and 2, so that the distance between the pitchers plate and home base (the
rear point of home plate) shall be 60 feet, 6 inches.

1.08The home club shall furnish players benches, one each for the
home and visiting teams. Such benches shall not be less than 25 feet from the base lines. They shall be roofed and shall be enclosed at the back and ends.

1.09The ball shall be a sphere formed by yarn wound around a small
core of cork, rubber or similar material, covered with two stripes of white
horsehide or cowhide, tightly stitched together. It shall weigh not less than
five nor more than 5 1/4 ounces avoirdupois and measure not less than nine
nor more than 9 1/4 inches in circumference.

1.10(a) The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 23/4 inches
in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in
length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood.
NOTE: No laminated or experimental bats shall be used in a professional
game (either championship season or exhibition games)
until the manufacturer has secured approval from the Rules
Committee of his design and methods of manufacture.
(b) Cupped Bats. An indentation in the end of the bat up to one inch
in depth is permitted and may be no wider than two inches and no
less than one inch in diameter. The indentation must be curved
with no foreign substance added.
(c) The bat handle, for not more than 18 inches from its end, may be
covered or treated with any material or substance to improve the
grip. Any such material or substance, which extends past the 18
inch limitation, shall cause the bat to be removed from the game.
NOTE: If the umpire discovers that the bat does not conform to
(c) above until a time during or after which the bat has been used in
play, it shall not be grounds for declaring the batter out, or ejected
from the game.
(d) No colored bat may be used in a professional game unless
approved by the Rules Committee.

1.11(a) (1) All players on a team shall wear uniforms identical in color,
trim and style, and all players uniforms shall include minimal sixinch
numbers on their backs. (2) Any part of an undershirt
exposed to view shall be of a uniform solid color for all players on
a team. Any player other than the pitcher may have numbers, letters,
insignia attached to the sleeve of the undershirt. (3) No player
whose uniform does not conform to that of his teammates shall
be permitted to participate in a game.
(b) A league may provide that (1) each team shall wear a distinctive
uniform at all times, or (2) that each team shall have two sets of
uniforms, white for home games and a different color for road
games.
(c) (1) Sleeve lengths may vary for individual players, but the sleeves
of each individual player shall be approximately the same length.
(2) No player shall wear ragged, frayed or slit sleeves.
(d) No player shall attach to his uniform tape or other material of a
different color from his uniform.
(e) No part of the uniform shall include a pattern that imitates or suggests
the shape of a baseball.
(f) Glass buttons and polished metal shall not be used on a uniform.
(g) No player shall attach anything to the heel or toe of his shoe other
than the ordinary shoe plate or toe plate. Shoes with pointed
spikes similar to golf or track shoes shall not be worn.
(h) No part of the uniform shall include patches or designs relating
to commercial advertisements.
(i) A league may provide that the uniforms of its member teams
include the names of its players on their backs. Any name other
than the last name of the player must be approved by the League
President. If adopted, all uniforms for a team must have the
names of its players.

1.12The catcher may wear a leather mitt not more than 38 inches in circumference,
nor more than 151/2 inches from top to bottom. Such limits
shall include all lacing and any leather band or facing attached to the outer
edge of the mitt. The space between the thumb section and the finger section
of the mitt shall not exceed six inches at the top of the mitt and four
inches at the base of the thumb crotch. The web shall measure not more
than seven inches across the top or more than six inches from its top to the
base of the thumb crotch. The web may be either a lacing or lacing
through leather tunnels, or a center piece of leather which may be an
extension of the palm, connected to the mitt with lacing and constructed
so that it will not exceed any of the above mentioned measurements.

1.13The first baseman may wear a leather glove or mitt not more than
twelve inches long from top to bottom and not more than eight inches wide
across the palm, measured from the base of the thumb crotch to the outer
edge of the mitt. The space between the thumb section and the finger section
of the mitt shall not exceed four inches at the top of the mitt and 31/2
inches at the base of the thumb crotch. The mitt shall be constructed so
that this space is permanently fixed and cannot be enlarged, extended,
widened, or deepened by the use of any materials or process whatever.
The web of the mitt shall measure not more than five inches from its top
to the base of the thumb crotch. The web may be either a lacing, lacing
through leather tunnels, or a center piece of leather which may be an
extension of the palm connected to the mitt with lacing and constructed so that it will not exceed the above mentioned measurements. The webbing shall not be constructed of wound or wrapped lacing

1.14Each fielder, other than the first baseman or catcher, may use or
wear a leather glove. The measurements covering size of glove shall be
made by measuring front side or ball receiving side of glove. The tool or
measuring tape shall be placed to contact the surface or feature of item
being measured and follow all contours in the process. The glove shall not
measure more than 12 inches from the tip of any one of the four fingers,
through the ball pocket to the bottom edge or heel of glove. The glove
shall not measure more than 73/4 inches wide, measured from the inside
seam at base of first finger, along base of other fingers, to the outside edge
of little finger edge of glove. The space or area between the thumb and first
finger, called crotch, may be filled with leather webbing or back stop. The
webbing may be constructed of two plies of standard leather to close the
crotch area entirely, or it may be constructed of a series of tunnels made
of leather, or a series of panels of leather, or of lacing leather thongs. The
webbing may not be constructed of wound or wrapped lacing to make a net
type of trap. When webbing is made to cover entire crotch area, the webbing
can be constructed so as to be flexible. When constructed of a series
of sections, they must be joined together. These sections may not be so
constructed to allow depression to be developed by curvatures in the section
sides. The webbing shall be made to control the size of the crotch
opening. The crotch opening shall measure not more than 41/2 inches at
the top, not more than 53/4 inches deep, and shall be 31/2 inches wide at
its bottom. The opening of crotch shall not be more than 41/2 inches at any
point below its top. The webbing shall be secured at each side, and at top
and bottom of crotch. The attachment is to be made with leather lacing,
these connections to be secured. If they stretch or become loose, they
shall be adjusted to their proper condition. The glove can be of any weight.

1.15(a) The pitchers glove may not, exclusive of piping, be white, gray, nor, in the judgment of
an umpire, distracting in any manner.
(b) No pitcher shall attach to his glove any foreign material of a color
different from the glove.
(c) The umpire-in-chief shall cause a glove that violates Rules 1.15(a) or 1.15(b) to be
removed from the game, either on his own initiative, at the recommendation of another umpire
or upon complaint of the opposing manager that the umpire-in-chief agrees has merit.

1.16A Professional League shall adopt the following rule pertaining to
the use of helmets:
(a) All players shall use some type of protective helmet while at bat.
(b) All players in National Association Leagues shall wear a double
ear-flap helmet while at bat.
(c) All players entering the Major Leagues commencing with the
1983 championship season and every succeeding season thereafter
must wear a single ear-flap helmet (or at the players option,
a double ear-flap helmet), except those players who were in the
Major League during the 1982 season, and who, as recorded in
that season, objected to wearing a single ear-flap helmet.
(d) All catchers shall wear a catchers protective helmet, while fielding
their position.
(e) All bat/ball boys or girls shall wear a protective helmet while performing
their duties.Rule 1.16 Comment: If the umpire observes any violation of these rules, he shall
direct the violation to be corrected. If the violation is not corrected within a reasonable
time, in the umpires judgment, the umpire shall eject the offender from
the game, and disciplinary action, as appropriate, will be recommended.

1.17Playing equipment including but not limited to the bases, pitchers
plate, baseball, bats, uniforms, catchers mitts, first basemans gloves,
infielders and outfielders gloves and protective helmets, as detailed in the
provisions of this rule, shall not contain any undue commercialization of
the product. Designations by the manufacturer on any such equipment
must be in good taste as to the size and content of the manufacturers logo
or the brand name of the item. The provisions of this Section 1.17 shall
apply to professional leagues only.
NOTE: Manufacturers who plan innovative changes in baseball
equipment for professional baseball leagues should submit same to
the Official Playing Rules Committee prior to production.